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“Remarkably Bright Creatures,” a debut novel by Shelby Van Pelt, is told from the alternating point-of-view of three central characters, including the highly intelligent octopus, Marcellus. The octopus and the two humans are stuck in a rut due to unfortunate life circumstances.
This book has sold more than two million copies worldwide and has been featured on the New York Times bestseller list for many weeks. Bringing readers in close to an octopus’s perceptions of the world may help them empathize more with the difficulties they face living on a planet overrun by humans. The story also sets an example of how connections and mutual understanding can help people (and intelligent creatures) heal from loss and suffering.
‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’ Summary: An Escape Artist Octopus and the People Who Orbit Him
The central “Remarkably Bright Creatures” character is a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus, living at the Sowell Bay Aquarium in Washington state. He was rescued as a juvenile and dreams of returning to freedom in the ocean. Highly intelligent (as are all octopuses), Marcellus knows he has been alive for 1,299 days and that his life span will be about 1,460 days. He often escapes from his tank and is baffled by human behavior.
A second protagonist, 70-year-old Tova Sullivan, works the night shift at the aquarium as a janitor. Despite her comfortable financial situation, she continues working to pass the time. Tova’s husband died five years before the story begins. Her only son, Erik, disappeared on a boating trip thirty years prior. This loss haunts her and interferes with her ability to enjoy life.
Tova’s sewing friends, the “Knit Wits,” meet every month. Grocery store owner, Ethan Mack, cares for Tova, but she’s afraid to get close to anyone. Tova goes through the motions, having lost her capacity to care about others or savor life. A bond forms between this broken woman and the lonely octopus, Marcellus.
A third character, Cameron, constantly changes jobs. His alcoholic mother walked out on him when he was eight years old, and he never knew his father. His aunt raised him after his mother left. In a box his aunt gives him, Cameron finds photos of his mother with a man he believes might be his father. He leaves Modesto, California for Sowell Bay to find this mysterious possible father. After Tova injures herself in a fall at the aquarium, Cameron is temporarily offered her position.
‘The Soul of an Octopus’: Key Research Behind ‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’
“The Soul of an Octopus” is a nonfiction book written by naturalist Sy Montgomery. I read this book before coming across “Remarkably Bright Creatures” and was intrigued by the parallels. Montgomery shares her experiences working with different octopuses at a New England aquarium and elsewhere, and the friendships she forms with the octopi. The octopuses in her story routinely escape their tanks and get into mischief just like Marcellus!
Understanding the high intellect of these creatures may enable a reader of “Remarkably Bright Creatures” to connect more readily with Marcellus. “The Soul of the Octopus” was key research material for the book, according to Van Pelt’s interview with a librarian at the Los Angeles Public Library. In a “Bookaccino Live” interview on YouTube, Van Pelt mentioned that she gleaned ideas for Marcellus’ character from naughty octopus videos she viewed on social media.
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Audience and Genre: Technically a Mystery, But With Literary Prose — Appeals to Older Women and Nature Lovers
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is categorized under the genres of drama and mystery. It is also listed under more specific genres, including humorous literary fiction, domestic fiction and cozy animal mysteries.
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” reads much more like literary fiction than a typical mystery novel. However, the reader will feel compelled to put two and two together while reading the story, so the mystery genre feels justified.
The wide age-span (age 30 to 70) between the main characters makes the book appealing to many generations of readers. Because of the emotional and “feel good” nature of this character-driven novel, it is more likely to appeal to women.
The story will especially be of interest to women who have suffered a loss of a close family member and/or feel a connection to the natural world. “Remarkably Bright Creatures” explores themes of death, loneliness, vulnerability, connectedness, aging and fear.
The premise of a highly intelligent sea creature trying to help a human in trouble was unique, unconventional and compelling. No other work of fiction that I’ve read was similar. The nonfiction book, “The Soul of the Octopus,” was similar in that Marcellus’s behavior mimicked real-life octopus behavior described in that book.
Readers disconnected from nature and the animal world might find an octopus main character difficult to connect to. Fiction readers fixated on strict realism might be annoyed when the story stretches plausibility. Readers who are nature lovers or who enjoy a good escape read are likely to embrace this novel wholeheartedly.
Perspective: Alternating Point of View and Present Tense
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is written from an alternating point of view (POV). The perspective shifts from the viewpoints of Tova, Marcellus and Cameron. Marcellus is written from a first-person POV, and Tova and Cameron are written from a third-person limited POV.
Most of the story is told in present tense.
Following these point-of-view shifts seems natural. Each character is developed in depth through flashbacks, dialogue and events. By writing in an alternating point of view, Van Pelt creates suspense and entices readers to try to unravel the hidden mysteries in the work.
Three Cs: Compelling, Clear, Concise
Editorial Note: We believe these three factors are important for evaluating general writing quality across every aspect of the book. Before you get into further analysis, here’s a quick breakdown to clarify how we’re using these words:
Compelling: Does the author consistently write in a way that would make most readers emotionally invested in the book’s content?
Clear: Are most sentences and parts of the book easy enough to read and understand?
Concise: Are there sections or many sentences that could be cut? Does the book have pacing problems?
Compelling: Unique Struggles
Van Pelt brings to life each character with sufficient depth to make the reader feel invested in their plights. Their unique struggles and voices are compelling. Most readers have experienced the loss of a family member or close friend, which may draw them to Tova.
Marcellus’s sharp intellect and mischievous side is contagious. He’s always escaping from his aquarium to feast in other aquariums or on human leftovers he finds in the trash. It’s intriguing to be brought inside the head of an intelligent creature of another species.
Cameron’s character is the most difficult to connect to. He’s initially unmotivated, lazy and quick to give up. He acts more like a teenager than a thirty-year-old.
Getting inside the head of an octopus at the beginning of the story draws readers into the story. His loss of freedom is relatable because humans may experience loss of freedom on a different level due to illness, living with a controlling parent or spouse or when faced with excessive responsibilities.
Van Pelt incites emotional responses through her writing by bringing the reader in close to the characters and their suffering. They will likely empathize with Tova’s sorrow over her son’s mysterious and tragic death and understand her apathy in the aftermath. Despite her disconnected nature, they will recognize that she has the capacity to care when she rescues Marcellus after he becomes entangled in vending machine power cords. They may relate to the frustration and longing Marcellus experiences, losing his freedom and feeling trapped. Cameron’s plight might trigger resentment or anger in readers who were abused by family members as youth.
Clear: Easy-to-Read, Flowing Style
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” presents an easy-to-read, flowing style. Nothing about sentence structure threw me out of the story. Despite the weighty loss and death themes presented, there is a whimsical and upbeat tenor to the book, which comes across through Marcellus’s mischievous and acutely observant voice. His confident point of view and humorous assessments of human behavior reassured me as a reader that all would be well, and his plans to help Tova would come to positive fruition.
The book is professionally edited, and the copy is clean and free of typographical and grammatical errors. No complex words are used that interfere with the reading experience. “Remarkably Bright Creatures” is an easy-to-read page turner.
The “Remarkably Bright Creatures” plot is easy to follow and tempts readers to want to don their clue-solving hats to unravel the mystery. Some plot developments stretched the reality envelope. A reader must suspend disbelief a little (spoiler alert) to imagine an octopus unraveling a mystery about the tragic death of Tova’s son and intervening to help her move forward. It seemed far-fetched that Marcellus would remember the exact shape of the house key at the accident site and recognize it as the same as Tova’s.
Concise: Well-Paced and Engaging
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is well-paced overall, and the length of the work feels right. Occasionally, Cameron’s story drags, especially in the beginning.
The end left some questions unanswered, which I wanted resolved. The blend of action, character development and the unraveling of mysteries made for an entertaining and engaging read.
Character Development: An Octopus, a Refreshing Old Female Protagonist and a Misplaced Stereotype
An octopus as a main character is unique. Marcellus comes across as intelligent, multi-dimensional and intriguing. Tova is unique as well. Older women aren’t often lead characters in literature. Cameron strikes me as an exaggerated stereotype of the troubled teen (even though he’s supposed to be 30).
The author relies on flashbacks, dialogue, events, internal dialogue and character interactions to develop the characters.
Tova and Cameron both follow a growth path in the story. Marcellus remains consistent with his one main objective for the final days of his life: to be released back into the ocean so he can experience freedom one more time. He does evolve from having a dismal view of humanity to recognizing that occasionally humans can be “remarkably bright creatures.” All three characters are developed with a good amount of depth. Readers understand what motivates them, their fears and worries and what they most want to accomplish.
The author’s presence didn’t intrude on any of the characters. Each came across as unique. In an interview with a Los Angeles Library librarian and a “Bookaccino Live” interview, Van Pelt said Tova’s character was inspired by her late grandmother. The author reveals her empathy and respect for older adults by writing Tova as a central character.
Story: An Unusual Friendship, a Mystery and Some Unresolved Plot Points
The characters in “Remarkably Bright Creatures” are developed in enough depth and with enough at stake to grab readers’ attention and keep them turning pages. The tension builds as clues are dropped in.
Senior citizens and octopuses rarely are main characters in works of fiction. “Remarkably Bright Creatures” brings to life Tova and Marcellus and their unusual friendship in a unique and satisfying way. The mystery element of the book is also unique (spoiler alert) — an octopus putting two and two together and mapping out a way he can help Tova learn the truth about what happened to her son, Erik.
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” has a happy ending, which will satisfy most readers. Readers may be disappointed by minor unresolved plot points.
An example of potential plot holes:
I concluded that the woman Cameron’s friend Avery saved from suicide was actually Daphne, Cameron’s mother. When Avery retells this story, she mentions an accident and a “boom,” a part of a sailboat that shifts position suddenly when tacking a boat and often causes fatal accidents. It was left to the reader to draw the conclusion that Daphne — pregnant with Cameron at the time — was on the boat with Erik when he died, and the trauma from this night led to her drinking addiction. However, it is unclear how Daphne got back safely and why she didn’t come forward, because the police concluded Erik committed suicide. Readers never learn if Cameron ever finds his mother, which is disappointing, given all the suffering and misunderstanding she and Cameron both endured.
Prose Style: Captivating and Heartwarming
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is a captivating and heartwarming story. It did not come across as stereotypical for any genre, even women’s fiction. Van Pelt’s writing is poetic in places.
The ratio of showing versus telling felt right. Telling mostly occurs in flashback scenes. Van Pelt’s choices for either form of writing never interfered with the reading experience.
Van Pelt skillfully draws readers into the hearts of the main characters through internal dialogue.
“Humans. For the most part, you are dull and blundering. But occasionally, you can be remarkably bright creatures.” This assessment of human beings from Marcellus’s point-of-view encapsulates his observant mind and witty nature. It also shows how his view of humans evolves over the course of the story.
Below is another example of Marcellus’s character gaining dimension through internal dialogue. “Secrets are everywhere. Some humans are crammed full of them. How do they not explode? It seems to be a hallmark of the human species: abysmal communication skills. Not that any other species are much better, mind you, but even a herring can tell which way the school it belongs to is turning and follow accordingly. Why can humans not use their millions of words to simply tell one another what they desire?”
Despite his intellect and wit, Marcellus feels deeply and empathizes with the human he knows best, Tova. “As a general rule, I like holes. A hole at the top of my tank gives me freedom. But I do not like the hole in her heart. She only has one, not three, like me. Tova’s heart. I will do everything I can to help her fill it.”
Tova’s feelings of hopelessness are conveyed to the reader through her passive approach to life and thoughts such as these. “Tova has always felt more than a bit of empathy for the sharks, with their never-ending laps around the tank. She understands what it means to never be able to stop moving, lest you find yourself unable to breathe.”
The aquarium serves as an escape from Tova’s painful memories and loneliness. “Now, Tova comes here to be alone with her thoughts, when she needs a break from being alone in her house. When even the television can’t punch through the unbearable quiet.”
Tova reflects on how time has altered her appearance. “By forty, her corn-silk hair was gray. By fifty, the lines on her face seemed etched in clay. Now she sometimes catches a glimpse of her profile reflected in a shop window, the way her shoulders have begun to stoop. She wonders how this body can possibly be hers.”
Cameron freaks out when he sees Tova speaking to the octopus. “‘Marcellus, it’s me.’ The octopus shifts slightly out of its corner and peers at her, blinking its creepy eye. Who is this lady? And how did she get in here, anyway? She nods, encouraging. ‘It’s okay.’ She holds out her hand, and to Cameron’s shock the creature extends one of its arms and winds it around her wrist. She repeats, ‘It’s okay. I’m going to help you down now, all right?’ The octopus nods. Wait, no. It did not. Did it? He rubs his eyes. Are they pumping hallucinogens through the ductwork here?”
The literary devices used most often in this book were flashbacks and figurative language. Marcellus’s character was developed through internal dialogue. Because his voice is so compelling and unique, I assumed that Van Pelt, like Marcellus, may have many thoughts running through her mind, observations about others and the world. I found nothing off-putting about her writing style. It worked.
Setting: Small Town, Coastal Washington
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” primarily takes place in the fictional, sparsely populated, coastal town of Sowell Bay, Washington. Cameron lives in Modesto, California at the beginning of the book. In one chapter, Tova travels to Charter Village, a fictional assisted living facility a two-hour drive from Sowell Bay.
Sowell Bay is portrayed in a realistic way. It’s a typical small-town-America town, with everyone knowing each other and each other’s business. The coastal Puget Sound landscape and the Sowell Bay aquarium set the backdrop for this work. ‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’ is set in the recent past.
Rhetoric: Empathize with Intelligent Animals in Captivity
Van Pelt asserts that connection with others (humans and animals) provides a path to healing.
She wants readers to empathize with animals in captivity, especially intelligent ones such as the octopus. Through Marcellus’s voice, she criticizes the human tendency to mistreat creatures we perceive as less intelligent and less significant than us.
In a “Bookaccino Live” interview, Van Pelt said, “I do think that we can be pretty terrible creatures a lot of the time. We are terrible creatures for this planet in a lot of ways.”
Marcellus serves as a model for the intelligent octopus. He witnesses ugly human behavior, which initially he sees as the whole picture of what people are like. Through his relationship with Tova, he comes to realize that many people have redeeming qualities. He witnesses this when Tova and Cameron begin to allow their vulnerabilities to surface enough that they can connect with others and genuinely care about them.
Getting to know Marcellus through the narrative and seeing that he is often wiser than the average human is a device the author used to get humans to empathize with his plight and the plight of other living creatures. People might think twice before eating octopus for lunch, for example, or be more likely to question why intelligent creatures are held hostage in captivity simply for the sake of human entertainment.
The need for more thoughtful treatment of wildlife is a theme that came across naturally in the text. Most reviewers connected more to Marcellus than the two human characters and found him relatable. Seeing life through the lenses of animals may enable people to understand them better and feel more invested in the natural world.
Cultural and Political Significance: More Care for the Natural World Needed
As the planet warms, and many species are careening into extinction, mindful people are increasingly preoccupied by man’s threat to the natural world. Although only two species of octopus are listed as endangered, anyone could argue that these highly intelligent creatures should be left alone instead of being held prisoner in aquariums and eaten in restaurants. Many readers may choose not to eat octopus after learning how intelligent they are.
Liberals, leftists, environmentalists and people who study yoga or live green are more likely to enjoy the book because they tend to have more concern for the natural world.
Critiquing the Critics: Animal Perspective Book Comparisons and Cameron Criticisms
A 2022 book review in The Washington Post included this line: “Humans love a good, old-fashioned morality tale told from the perspective of an animal.’ The writer compared “Remarkably Bright Creatures” to “Watership Down,” “Animal Farm,” and “The One and Only Ivan.”
An Amazon reviewer who gave “Remarkably Bright Creatures” a five-star review wrote, “This book evokes feelings of joy, sadness, grief, hope and empathy with a very satisfying conclusion.” Another said, “Extremely well written with fully developed characters that become friends you don’t want to let go of when the book ends.”
Other Amazon reviewers found the book too predictable and unrealistic. Others were so turned off by Cameron’s character, it marred their reading experiences.
I found Cameron’s character oppressive at the outset and sometimes found the plot a stretch to believe. However, I recognized Cameron’s importance in moving the story forward. I also could suspend reality enough to enjoy the book. This mindset was largely because I loved the flowing and poetic writing style and strongly connected to Marcellus as a character.
Book Aesthetic: Colorful and Literal
The cover presents a delightful palette of colors, with blue ocean and a large orange octopus surrounded by sea plants filling much of the front. Tova stands in front of Marcellus, wearing a bright yellow shirt. The bright colors and the octopus displayed on center stage make the cover unique. The back cover has a synopsis about the book, slanted toward the mystery element of the story.
The “Remarkably Bright Creatures” cover seems to have been designed by marketing experts with “New York Times Bestseller” and a quote from author Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney lining the top of the front cover and the Today Show’s “Read with Jenna” logo appearing further down. The bright colors chosen and the octopus are the most intriguing parts of the cover.
Many women’s fiction books have New York Times Bestseller pasted across the top of the book in caps. Other than that, the cover seems unique.
The cover seems suitable for the story. Marcellus appears larger than life on the cover — dwarfing Tova even though most giant Pacific Octopuses weigh about 50 pounds. He appears in the center of the book’s cover and is the star of the story.
‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’: Book vs. Upcoming Movie
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is being made into a Netflix movie and will star Sally Field as Tova.
Reviewer’s Personal Opinion: Resonated With Me as a Swimmer and Marine Animal Rescuer
I enjoyed reading Marcellus’s story the most. He was by far my favorite character. His observations about human behavior often made me laugh out loud. And his mischievous behavior, sense of humor and risk-taking made this “senior” sea creature very fun to follow.
I swim with wild dolphins and am a volunteer with a Mexican sea turtle rescue program, so I feel a strong connection to nature. During releases, we educate the public about the sea turtles, so they connect with them and start to care more about the natural world. I believe the natural world is too often overlooked and misunderstood. We aren’t the only creatures that crave safety and comfort in our lives. They’re more like us than different, and “Remarkably Bright Creatures” illuminates that perspective.
Even though I connected to Tova as a character, I found her disconnection from others disturbing and was even more bothered by her negative attitude about aging. I believe that each of us paints our life’s canvas with our mind. Just because many people equate old age with disability and illness doesn’t mean we have to follow that worn out formula. Because she cared about Marcellus, I empathized with her and was gratified to see her follow a path to reconnecting with the world again.
Cameron’s character initially irritated me. Readers are introduced to a highly intelligent 30-year-old who acts like he’s twelve and is lazy and irresponsible. Even though I empathized with his difficult childhood, his aunt cared well for him after his mother left, and it seemed like he could have moved on. It bothered me that he made no effort to change his circumstances.
Fortunately he does start to evolve as the story develops. Reading his story becomes more tolerable.
Anyone who enjoys Marcellus would also enjoy reading “The Soul of the Octopus.” This work of nonfiction brings the reader up close to different octopuses, illuminating their intelligent and mischievous natures, their curiosity and their interactions in captivity with the naturalist author.
I do not know Van Pelt. My daughter gifted me a copy of the book for Christmas two years ago.
‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’ Review: Well-Crafted Story that Stretches Plausibility
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is well-crafted, professionally edited and free of typographical errors. No major plot holes were noted.
A half a star is deducted for stretches in plausibility and debatable minor plot holes.
Buying and Rental Options
E-Commerce Text and Audio Purchases
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Physical Location Purchase and Rental Options
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is available at most Barnes and Noble and independent bookstores.
Digital Rental Options
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is available as an ebook and audiobook in many US libraries, either in person or through the Libby app. Readers may have to wait several months to get the ebook and up to 10 weeks to get the audiobook.
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